This invention relates to a truck mixer with at least one extension chute which for transport can be received on a holding means in a locked manner.
In the rear open region of their mixing drum, truck mixers have a discharge funnel below which a so-called swivel chute is arranged. This is a chute which is pivotally mounted to the truck mixer at the rear end of the vehicle. To extend this swivel chute arranged below the discharge funnel, one or more extension chutes are used. When unloading the drum contents of the truck mixer, the extension chute is hung into the end of the swivel chute. The extension chute can consist of several parts, which during transport usually are fixed on the rear fenders of the truck mixer. On the rear fenders, the extension chutes are retained on correspondingly provided chute supports. The chute supports are sheet metal strips firmly arranged on the rear fenders of the truck mixer, which partly are adapted to the outer shape of the extension chute, so that after correspondingly locking the same by a so-called chute holder, the extension chutes are firmly held in their position on the rear fenders.
This holding situation is shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 of the attached drawings. The truck mixer 10 shown here only in part includes a usual mixing drum 12. In the rear region of the chassis of the truck mixer the discharge funnel 14 is arranged, below which the swivel chute 16 is pivotally arranged. On rear fenders 18, extension chutes 20 are mounted on two chute supports 22 made of curved plates, wherein the extension chutes 20 are held in position by means of a chute holder 24. The chute holder 24 includes a tension spring (cf. FIG. 4), which retains the extension chute 20 on the chute supports by its spring force. As shown in FIG. 3, the chute supports 22 are connected with the fender 18 via screw connections.
For removing an extension chute 20, a number of working steps must now be performed:
1. First, the hook of the chute holder 24 must be lifted against the tension spring and must be deposited at the side.
2. For removal, the extension chute 20 must then be removed from the chute supports 22 and be rotated against the stop of the chute support in the chute support 22.
3. Thereafter, the extension chute must be removed from the chute support 22 by the operating personnel by a vertical upward movement.
4. For depositing the extension chute 20, these working steps must be performed in reverse order.
This handling of the extension chute is quite laborious. It should be considered that the mounting height of the chute support is dependent on the vehicle height and the fender attachment. This means that the chute support is located at a height of 1.30 m to 1.60 m. For supporting the chute on the fender, the operator must lift the extension chute with a weight of up to 20 kg to a height of 1.50 m to 1.80 m, so that he can position the extension chute in the extension chute holder. On a truck mixer, up to four extension chutes can now be supported on the fenders. For comparatively small or weaker operators, this means a considerable exertion.
Due to the open construction of the extension chute holder on the fender of the truck mixer, a high cleaning effort is necessary. In addition, the open construction of the chute support and chute holder on the fender is not optically appealing either.